Engine-starting mechanism.



No. 874,158. PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

J. T. BARBER. v ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE8.1907.

Ulifomwqu UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

EN GIN E-STARTIN G MECHANISM.

N 0. 8'7 4,1 53. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed June 8| 1907- Serial No, 377,998-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. BARBER, citi-. zen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starting Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in starting mechanism forengines or motors, and relates particularly to that type of mechanism which is designed to automatically uncouple the starting crank from the engine, or motor shaft, in case a reverse impulse is imparted to the shaft by a premature explosion during the operating of cranking, the ipventionbeing especially applicable for use in connection with explosive engines of automobiles, motor boats and the like. g

"The invention has for its object a siinplcf durable and etlicient construction of mechan-. ism for automatically releasing the"crank from the engine shaft in case of back firing, and the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts which I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point'out the novel features in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of theinventio'n and the merits thereof and also to acquire'a knowledge of the details'of construction of the. means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis an elevation, partially in section, parts being locked in position, of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the clutch members separated; and, Fig. 3 is a detail view of the pawl and its connections.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the crank shaft of an explosive or internal combustion engine, 2 the relatively fixed clutch member which, in the present instance, is shown provided with a ratchet face, and 3 designates the relatively movable l' the usual handle, as shown.

terposed between the clutch members 2 and 3 and tends to force said members apart. The teeth of the ratchet clutch members 2 and 3 are beveled, so that after the operation of starting the engine has been effected, the shaft may continue to run without the startingelement participating in such movcnuait.

A ratchet disk 6 is secured to the engine framework or some other stationary part, being provided for this p'ur ose, in the prcsent instance, with aperturer ears 6, and the engine shaft 1 passes freely through said .disk, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. A complemental ratchet disk 7 is mounted to revolve freely on a sleeve around the crank clutch member 3, and is normally "pressed ntp engagement with the clutch dis ,jn eans of a coil spring 8. Formed on or niovable with the ratchet disk 7 ingfrdm the outer face thereof is a toothed whens, A spring pressed pawl ll) is adaptedtd'travel ahead over the teeth of the wheel 9 in the direction in which the starting crank 4* is turned to start the-engine, said pawl 10 being pivotai-ly mounted on a disk 11, the hub of which is mounted on the shaft portion 4 of the starting element, beiru secured thereto by a set screw 12 or similar means.

In the. practical operation, the pawl 10will travel ahead over the teeth of the wheel 9, permitting the engine to be cranked, but if the engine'should back fire, it is obvious that the pawl .10 would engage the teethof .the wheel 9, thereby 7 to be turned. reversely and backed off of the stationary ratchet 'diskb, thereby forcing the clutches 2 and'3 apart after a slight, but immaterial reverse movement of the starting element, so as to promptly release such ele ment from the engine shaft and permit the A spring 5 is in" the starting crank around. .Hence, it will be seen that all danger of injuring the operator is avoided by my provided a very simple, durable and efficient construction of device for this purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 1. The combination of an engine shaft roclutch member which is formed with a complemental ratchet face and which is mounted on the revoluble starting element which, in the present instance comprises a shaft section 4 journalcd in any suitable bearings (not shown), and a startingicrank t provided with vided with a relatively fixed clutch mem er,

the fixed clutch member and a apted to engage the same, a relatively fixed ratchet disk and projectcausing the ratchet disk engine to run backwardly without swinging a starting element provided with a relatively movable clutch member com lemental to encircling said shaft, a relatively movable 100, invention, and that I have and loose ratchet disk encircling the relatively movable clutch member and adapted to engage the relatively lixed ratchet-disk, a toothed wheel movable with the relatively movable ratchet disk, a pawl mounted to travel ahead over the teeth of said wheel and designed to engage therewith upon a reverse movement, and a support for said pawl secured to the starting element.

2. The combination of an engine shaft, provided with a relatively fixed clutch member, a starting element provided with a relatix ey movable clutch member adapted to engage the fixed clutch member, a spring tending to separate the clutch members, a stationary ratchet disk encircling the shaft, a relatively movable ratchet disk adapted to engage the stationary ratchet disk and encircling the relatively movable clutch meml l l l with an outwardly projecting toothed heel,

a spring tending to force the movable ratchet I disk into engagement with the stationary ratchet disk, a pivoted spring pressed pawl mounted to travel freely over the teeth of said Wheel in one direction and to engage said teeth upon movement in the opposite direction, and a disk upon. which said pawl is mounted, said disk being secured to the starting element, as and for the purpose set forth. In testimony wherepl I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES T. BARBER. [n s] Witnesses:

(nAnLEs vW. lloon, GEO. Kudos. 

